Wednesday, 30 December 2009

At the core of Islam is the Qur'an, believed to be the final revelation by a transcendent Allah to Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam; since the Divine Word was revealed in Arabic, this language is used in Islamic religious practice worldwide. Muslims believe in final reward and punishment, and the unity of the umma, the "nation" of Islam. Muslims submit to Allah through arkan ad-din, the five basic requirements or "pillars": shahadah, the affirmation that "there is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God"; salah, the five daily ritual prayers; zakat, the giving of alms, also known as a religious tax; Sawm, the dawn-to-sunset fast during the lunar month of Ramadan; and hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. The importance of the hajj can hardly be overestimated: this great annual pilgrimage unites Islam and its believers from around the world.

The ethos of Islam is in its attitude toward Allah: to His will Muslims submit; Him they praise and glorify; and in Him alone they hope. However, in popular or folk forms of Islam, Muslims ask intercession of the saints, prophets, and angels, while preserving the distinction between Creator and creature. Islam views the Message of Muhammad as the continuation and the fulfillment of a lineage of Prophecy that includes figures from the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament, notably Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus. Islamic law reserves a communal entity status for the ahl al-kitab, People of the Book, i.e., those with revealed religions, including Jews and Christians. Islam also recognizes a number of extra-Biblical prophets, such as Hud, Salih, Shuayb, and others of more obscure origin. The chief angels are Gabriel and Michael; devils are the evil jinn.

The first thing that one should know and clearly understand about Islam is what the word "Islam" itself means. The religion of Islam is not named after a person as in the case of Christianity which was named after Jesus Christ, Buddhism after Gotama Buddha, Confucianism after Confucius, and Marxism after Karl Marx. Nor was it named after a tribe like Judaism after the tribe of Judah and Hinduism after the Hindus. Islam is the true religion of "Allah" and as such, its name represents the central principle of Allah's "God's" religion; the total submission to the will of Allah "God". The Arabic word "Islam" means the submission or surrender of one's will to the only true god worthy of worship "Allah" and anyone who does so is termed a "Muslim", The word also implies "peace" which is the natural consequence of total submission to the will of Allah. Hence, it was not a new religion brought by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) I in Arabia in the seventh century, but only the true religion of Allah re-expressed in its final form.

Islam is the religion which was given to Adam, the first man and the first prophet of Allah, and it was the religion of all the prophets sent by Allah to mankind. The name of God's religion lslam was not decided upon by later generations of man. It was chosen by Allah Himself and clearly mentioned in His final revelation to man. In the final book of divine revelation, the Qur'aan, Allah states the following:

"This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion". (Soorah Al-Maa'idah 5:3)

"If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah (God) never will It be accepted of Him" (Soorah Aal'imraan 3:85)

"Abraham was not a Jew nor Christian; but an upright Muslim." (Soorah Aal'imraan 3:67)

Nowhere in the Bible will you find Allah saying to Prophet Moses' people or their descendants that their religion is Judaism, nor to the followers of Christ that their religion is Christianity. In fact, Christ was not even his name, nor was it Jesus! The name "Christ" comes from the Greek word Christos which means the annointed. That is, Christ is a Greek translation of the Hebrew title "Messiah". The name "Jesus" on the other hand, is a latinized version of the Hebrew name Esau.

For simplicity's sake, I will however continue to refer to Prophet Esau (PBUH) as Jesus. As for his religion, it was what he called his followers to. Like the prophets before him, he called the people to surrender their will to the will of Allah; (which is Islam) and he warned them to stay away from the false gods of human imagination.

According to the New Testament, he taught his followers to pray as follows: "Yours will be done on earth as it is in Heaven".

Since the total submission of one's will to Allah represents the essence of worship, the basic message of Allah's divine religion, Islam is the worship of Allah alone and the avoidance of worship directed to any person, place or thing other than Allah.Since everything other than Allah, the Creator of all things, is Allah's creation; it may be said that Islam, in essence calls man away from the worship of creation and invites him to worship only its Creator. He is the only one deserving man's worship as it is only by His will that prayers are answered. If man prays to a tree and his prayers are answered, it was not the tree which answered his prayers but Allah who allowed the circumstances prayed for to take place. One might say, "That is obvious," however, to tree-worshippers it might not be. Similarly, prayers to Jesus, Buddha, or Krishna, to Saint Christopher, or Saint Jude or even to Muhammad, are not answered by them but are answered by Allah. Jesus did nottell his followers to worship him but to worship Allah. As the Qur'an states:

"And behold Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary Did you say to men, Worship me and my mother as gods besides Allah He will say-"Glory to you I could never say what I had no right (to say')" (Soorah Al-Maa'idah- 5:116)

Nor did he worship himself when he worshipped but rather he worshipped Allah. This basic principle is enshrined in the opening chapter of the Qur'aan, known asSoorah Al-Faatihah, verse 4:

"You alone do we worship and from you alone do we seek help".

Elsewhere, in the final book of revelation, the Qur'aan, Allah also said:

"And your Lord says:"Call on Me and I will answer your(prayer)."(Soorsh Mu'min 40:60)

it is worth noting that the basic message of Islam is that Allah and His creation are distinctly different entities. Neither is Allah His creation or a part of it, nor is His creation Him or a part of Him.

This might seem obvious, but, man's worship of creation instead of the Creator is to a large degree based on ignorance of this concept. It is the belief that the essence of Allah is everywhere in His creation or that His divine being is or was present in some aspects of His creation, which has provided justification for the worship of creation though such worship maybecalled the worship of Allah through his creation. How ever, the message of Islam as brought by the prophets of Allah is to worship only Allah and to avoid the worship of his creation either directly or indirectly. In the Our'aan Allah clearlystates:

"For We assuredly sent amongst every people a prophet,(with the command) worship meand avoid false gods " (Soorsh Al-Nahl 16:36)

When the idol worshipper is questioned as to why he or she bows down to idols created by men, the invariable reply is that they are not actually worshipping the stone image, but Allah who is present within it. They claim that the stone idol is only a focal point for Allah's essence and is not in itself Allah! One who has accepted the concept of the presence of God's being within His creation in any way will be obliged to accept this argument of idolatry. Whereas, one who understands the basic message of Islam and its implications would never concede to idolatry no matter how it is rationalized. Those who have claimed divinity for themselves down through the ages have often based their claims on the mistaken belief that Allah is present in man. They merely had to assert that although Allah according to their false beliefs, is in all of us, He is more present in them than in the rest of us. Hence, they claim, we should submit our will to them and worship them as they are either God in person or God concentrated within the person.

Similarly, those who have asserted the godhood of others after their passing have found fertile ground among those who accept the false belief of God's presence in man. One who has grasped the basic message of Islam and its implications could never agree to worship another human being under any circumstances. God's religion in essence is a clear call to the worship of the Creator and the rejection of creation-worship in any form. This is the meaning of the motto of Islam:

"Laa Elaaha lllallaah" (There is no god but Allah)

Its repetition automatically brings one within the fold of Islam and sincere belief in it guarantees one Paradise.

Thus, the final Prophet of Islam is reported to have said, "Any one who says: There is no god but Allah and dies holding that (belief) will enter paradise".(Reported by Abu Dharr and collected by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim).

It consists in the submission to Allah as one God, yielding to Him by obeying His commandments, and the denial of polytheism and polytheists.

The Great Challenge to Produce One Chapter Like the Chapters of the Holy Quran.

God has said in the Quran:

And if you are in doubt about what We have revealed (the Quran) to Our worshiper (Muhammad ), then produce a chapter like it, and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides God if you are truthful. And if you do not do it, and you can never do it, then fear the Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones. It has been prepared for disbelievers. And give good news (O Muhammad) to those who believe and do good deeds, that for them are gardens (Paradise) in which rivers flow.... (Quran, 2:23-25)

Ever since the Quran was revealed, fourteen centuries ago, no one has been able to produce a single chapter like the chapters of the Quran in their beauty, eloquence, splendor, wise legislation, true information, true prophecy, and other perfect attributes. Also, note that the smallest chapter in the Quran (Chapter 108) is only ten words, yet no one has ever been able to meet this challenge, then or today.1 Some of the disbelieving Arabs who were enemies of the Prophet Muhammad tried to meet this challenge to prove that Muhammad was not a true prophet, but they failed to do so.2 This failure was despite the fact that the Quran was revealed in their own language and dialect and that the Arabs at the time of Muhammad were a very eloquent people who used to compose beautiful and excellent poetry, still read and appreciated today.

The smallest chapter in the Holy Quran

The smallest chapter in the Holy Quran (Chapter 108) is only ten words, yet no one has ever been able to meet the challenge to produce one chapter like the chapters of the Holy Quran.

VIRTUES of SALATUL AWWABEEN: 6 or 20 NAFL RAKA'AH

Hadrat Ayeshah narrated that the Rasoolallah said: For the person who offers 20 Raka'ah nafl after the Maghrib Salat Allah Ta'ala will make a house for him in Paradise. {Tirmidhi, Mishkat, Tarteeb Shareef pg. 169}
Hadrat Abu Hurairah narrated that the Rasoolallah said: The person who offers 6 Raka'ah Nafl after the Maghrib Salah, and does not speak evil in between receives rewards equal to 12 years of worship. {Tirmidhi, Mishkat, Tarteeb Shareef pg. 169}

How to perform prayers of Ishraq, Duha (Chaasht), Awabeen, Tahajjud, Tasbeeh, Hajaat to the benefits of greatness that accrue from them.

Prayer of Ishraq

Salatud Duha [Chaasht]

Salatul Awwabeen

Prayer of Tahajjud

Salatul Tasbih

Salatul Hajaat

Prayer of Ishraq

The beloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has said: Those who perform the Fajr prayer in congregation (Jamaa’at), read the Zikr (remembrance of Allah) till the sun has completely arisen (length of a spear from the horizon, after 20 minutes of sunrise) and read 2 Raka-at Nafil prayer, will have the benedictions (sawaab) equal to those of Haj-Umrah. It is recommended to read the Surah Fateha and Ayyat-uk-Kursi till Khaalidoon, in the first Raka-at, and in the second Raka-at to read, after Surah Fateha, Aamanar Rasul till the end of Suratul Baqarah. In the case that this verse cannot be read from memory, one can recite any other verse and then ask Duas. Woman should read all prayers of Farz and Nafil at home and will derive the same benefits (sawaab) that accrue from prayer performed at the Mosque (Tirmizi Shareef).

Salatul Duha [Chaasht]

The beloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has said: For the one that has read the 12 Raka-at Salatud Duha, Allah will build for him a golden castle in paradise, and the one that always reads the 2 Raka-ats of Chaasht will have his sins forgiven even though they may be of oceanic dimensions (Tirmizi and Then Maaja). The prayer of Chaasht consists of 2 Raka-at and of a maximum of 12 Raka-ats. It should be read between the time the sun has completely risen from the horizon and before Zawal (zenith of the sun).

Salatul Awwabeen

This Nafil prayer is read after the Farz (Fard) and Sunnat of Maghrib. It consist of a minimum of 6 Raka-ats and this Nafil prayer procures many benedictions (blessings) and mercy.

Prayer of Tahajjud

Our Master, the beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has said: In Paradise there is a castle reserved for those who read Tahajjud and the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) further adds, those who pray at night will enter paradise without having to account for their acts in this life. The Nafils of Tahajjud are read after the Esha prayer, but it is important to sleep before performing Tahajjud. The prayer consists of a minimum of 2 Raka-ats, and a maximum of 8 or 12 Raka-ats (to be read according ones capacity).

After Esha prayers sleep for some time, then wake up any time during the night before the rise of morning for Tahajjud prayers. With the performance of 2 Rakats you have duly achieved your Tahajjud. However, the performance of 8 Rakats in Sunnat, and complying with the practice of the Holy Saints of Islam and performing 12 Rakats is commendable.

It is recommended that you recite in your prayers as much of the Sacred Quran as you know. If you happen to know by heart the whole of the Sacred Quran you may, in at least 3 nights or most 4 nights of Tahajjud effectuate the complete reading of the Sacred Quran.

Otherwise, you may recite 3 Surah Ikhlas (Qul Hu Allahu Ahad) after your "Alhamdu..." in every Rakat and you will thus derive full benefits of the full recital of the Sacred Quran in every Rakat.

Salatul Tasbih

Our beloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) had taught this Nafil prayer to his Uncle, Hazrat Abbas (RA) and told him; He who performs this prayer will have his past and future sins forgiven. The Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has recommended to read this prayer daily on each Friday or once a month or once a year, in case of this not being possible, to read it even once in one’s life. This Nafil prayer provides limitless benefits both in the material and spiritual life.

How to perform this Nafil:

After having pronounced one’s intention (Niyat), say Allaho-Akbar, read "Subhanaka-Alla humma" completely (Sana), read now 15 times "Subhaanallah wal hamdo Lillaah wala illaha Illallah Wallah-o-Akbar." Then read Aoozu billah and Bismillah (completely) and Surah Fateha. Then recite 10 times the Tasbih mentioned above and go to Ruku. Here also recite 10 times the Tasbih before raising yourself to read another 10 times the same Tasbih, this time in a standing position. Then prostrate (Sajdah) and read 10 times the Tasbih, sit now and read again 10 times this Tasbih (Jalsa) and prostrate again, Tasbish 10 times in the 2nd Raka-at begin by reading 15 times this Tasbih before reading "Bismillah" and Surah Fateha. After that read 10 times the Tasbih and then proceed as in the first Raka-at. To end the second Raka-at, read as usual "Attahiyat", "Durood" and "Duas". Then read 2 other Raka-ats. As in each Raka-at the Tasbih is recited 75 times, it means that in all 4 Raka-at the Tasbih is read 300 times. In the other 2 Raka-at, after "Subhana Rabbiyal-azeem", read the Tasbih 75 times and in the Sajdah (prostrations after Subhaan Rabbiyal-ala) read again 75 times the Tasbih.

Note: No fixed time has been prescribed for this prayer, a fact, which means that besides any time prohibited this prayer, can be read at any time.

Salatul Hajaat

In case of difficulty, illness or of authorized necessity this prayer is read. The beloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) had taught this to a blind person who, as soon as he performed it, regained his eyesight. (Tirmizi Shareef Tibrani)

To perform this prayer it is recommended to wear one’s best and clean clothes and to perform pleasingly one’s ablution (Wudu). Then 2 Raka-ta Nafil is read in the usual way, after salaam this dua is read:

Translation: O Allah I implore You and I come near You through the intermediary of Your Prophet (Nabee) Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) who is the Prophet of Grace. Ya Rasullullah, through your intercession I implore Allah to accept my request. O Allah grant the intercession of your Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) in my favor.

VIRTUES of SUNNAH

"Tell them O' Muhammad that if you love Allah then follow my

footsteps {follow my Sunnah}, Allah Subhanna Wa Ta'la will love you and He will forgive all your sins. Indeed He is Most Forgiving and Merciful."

Indeed following the Sunnah of the Rasoolallah is following the Siratal Mustaqeem. Indeed the very purpose of The Coming of The Rasoolallah was to show his followers how to put the Guidance of the Holy Quran into practice in their lives. This is also why Allah Subhanna Wa Ta'la described His beloved messenger Muhammadin The Quran as Uswatul Husnah {the perfect model} for his followers, and indeed the word "Ummah" which means followers, is in itself self explanatory. How can we be his Ummah without following him?

When Allah Subhanna Wa Ta'la has mentioned in the Holy Quran that He did not create humans and Jinns but for His Worship, it is obvious that worship does not just include rituals of Salat, Fasting, Zakah and Hajj. Since the entire purpose of our creation is to worship our Creator, our entire life is therefore to be spent in His Worship. Indeed this larger worship would include all the hours of the day, every day of the month and every day of the year. If the word worship only meant the compulsory rituals, the Rasoolallah would have finished his mission in just one year. Therefore every aspect of the life of our beloved Prophet Muhammad which is his Sunnah can truly reflect the larger and wider meaning of the word worship.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad saw therefore commanded his holy companions males, females, and his holy wives, very early in his mission to write down and note every action performed by him and everything said by him very carefully and then convey it to those not present. Therefore it is from the collection of the Ahadith {Hadith singular} that we get a clear, picture of his practices, which forms the sum total of the worship of Allah Subhanna Wa Ta'la, as revealed in the Holy Quran. To complete the picture: we need to follow and obey our Beloved Prophet Muhammad to learn how to worship our Lord and Creator; We need to look and follow the Sahabah {companions} May Allah be pleased with them all to learn how closely they obeyed and followed the Rasoolallah in every action of his, from the simplest and common place to the performance of all the compulsory rituals of worship

When there is only a single star left in the sky..
At that very moment, the path of forgiveness will close.
The writing in the Quran will vanish.
The sun will lower itself with the earth.

Prophet Muhammad Salalallahu Alayhi Wassallam said, ‘Who ever delivers this news to someone else,
I will on the Day of Judgement make for him a place in Jannat.’

When Mu’min will enter into Jannah, it will be announced

1. You will remain healthy forever, disease will never come.
2. You will remain alive for ever, death will never come.
3. You will remain in bounties which will never be finished.

Jannah is made with

Bricks of Gold and Silver.
Its cement is of perfumed Musk.
Its chips are pearls and Yaqoot.
Its sand is Zafraan.

Jannatul Mava is in the lowest,
Jannat-ul-Adan is the middle &
Jannat-ul- Firdous is on the highest.

Food of Jannah

They will eat foods and fruits continuously up to 40 years.
Every bowl will have a new taste.
They will take eructation which will digest the food and there will be perfumed sweating for the digestion of water.
There will be no urine and stool.

Place Name

There will be gardens in Jannah.
Every garden will have the length of about 100 year’s journey.
The shadow of these gardens will be very dense.
Their plants will be free of thorns.
The size of their leaves will be equal to ears of elephants.
Their fruits will be hanging in rows.

Those who love each other for the sake of Allah will get a pillar of Yaqoot,
On which there will be seventy thousand (70,000) rooms.
These will shine for the residents of Jannah as the sun shines for the residents of Duniya.

There will be rooms in Jannah in such a way that every room will have seventy thousand (70,000) dinning sheets.
On every dinning sheet 70,000 types of foods will be served.
For their service 80,000 young boys will be moving around looking like beautiful scattered pearls.

One bunch of dates will be equal to the length of 12 arms.
The size of a date will be equal to the big pitcher.
These will be whiter than milk, sweeter than honey and softer than butter and free
Of seeds.
The stem of these plants will be made up of gold and silver.
There will also be gardens of grapes. The bunches of grapes will be very big.
The size of a single grape will be equal to a big pitcher.

Someone asked, Ya Rasulullah (Sallalahu alaihi wasallam):
will it be sufficient for me and my family.

It was answered, it will be sufficient for you and your whole tribe.

The Dresses of Jannah

The dress of Jannah will be very beautiful.
One will wear 70 dresses at a time.
These will be very fine, delicate, weightless, having different colors.
These dresses will be so fine that the body even the heart will be visible.
And the waves of love in the hearts will also be visible.
These dresses will never become old, never be dirty and will never tear.

There will be four canals in every Jannah.

1. Water
2. Milk
3. Honey
4. Sharabun Tahoora.

There will also be three fountains in Jannah:

1. Kafoor
2. Zanjabeel
3. Tasneem

Qualities of People of Jannah

In Jannah, height of every Mo ‘min, will be equal to the height of

Hazrat Adam (Alaihissalaam) 60 arms (90 feet).
Beauty will be like that of Hazrat Yousuf (Alaihissalaam).
Age of youth will be like that of Hazrat Esa (Alaihissalaam) 30-33 years).
Sweetness of voice will be like that of Hazrat Dawud (Alaihissalaam).
Tolerance will be like that of Hazrat Yaqoob (Alaihissalaam).
Patience will be like that of Hazrat Ayyub (Alaihissalaam).
Habits will be like that of Sayyaduna Muhammad (Sallalahu alaihi wasallam)

NOTE:

If a person makes Du’a for Jannah three times,
Jannah requests Allah that O, Allah; make his entry into Jannah.
And if a person makes Du’a for safety from Jahannum three times,
The Jahannum requests Allah that, O, Allah; save him from Jahannum.

Saturday, 26 December 2009

Dua, sometimes written duah, means calling, asking for something, and in the Islamic sense of the word it is doing just that, but to God. The word Dua can be translated in English to 'prayer', and this is accurate, but should not be confused with the other form of Muslim prayer, the Salat (aka namaz) which is something different. Dua is unlike the obligatory pillars of Islam such as Salat and Sawm (fasting) which have a rigid standard of regulations, because through du'a we are able to use our very own individual styles of expression. the Muslim supplicator raises his hands palm-up in front of him, at the level of his chest, or on his lap during this type of prayer,
Du'a (supplication) is our own personal means of communication with our Creator and it is accepted in any language. An individual may pray to ask for forgiveness, prosperity, help, improvement of a situation, increase in faith, or to thank God for His bounty or answering previous prayers; A person can pray for anything that is good and halal (permitted Islamically), and he can also pray for the damnation of the enemy and the ending of the world's evils. An individual may also pray for other persons.
Duas can be individual and personal, but there are a great number of books that have pre-written duas, written and compiled by scholars, and these relate duas presented by Prophets (PBUT),

The Quran itself has a number of duas within its pages, one such dua is this one where Prophet Abraham (PBUH) says:

The last line from that dua is sometimes said in a popular Qunoot dua, which is a special type of dua that is said in regular Salat prayers. A future article will be written about this to further elaborate.

Another dua from the Quran that we can use personally when we make dua is this:

لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللّهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا أَنتَ مَوْلاَنَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ
[Quran 2.286] ...Our Lord! do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake; Our Lord! do not lay on us a burden as Thou didst lay on those before us, Our Lord do not impose upon us that which we have not the strength to bear; and pardon us and grant us protection and have mercy on us, Thou art our Patron, so help us against the unbelieving people.

We have all undoubtedly been through some testing moments in our lives, and in such situations may have turned to close family and friends for help. Although they can provide us with valuable reassurance and comfort, they probably can do very little in helping to resolve the problem. Therefore it is necessary to confide in He who is the All-Listening and Most Wise, since it is only Allah (SWT) who has the power to really make a difference. Verily Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Quran,

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُواْ لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُواْ بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ
[Quran 2.186] And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way.

However, it is important that we do not get into the habit of making du'a as a last resort and only after all else has failed. Surely if we remember Allah (SWT) at times of well-being, then He will remember us at times of difficulty. Therefore supplication should be a regular part of our lives, especially since it strengthens our relationship with Allah (SWT).
The severity of neglecting du'a

The consequence of not making du'a is explicitly summarized in a single ayah (verse) of the Holy Quran:

Dua, sometimes written duah, means calling, asking for something, and in the Islamic sense of the word it is doing just that, but to God. The word Dua can be translated in English to 'prayer', and this is accurate, but should not be confused with the other form of Muslim prayer, the Salat (aka namaz) which is something different. Dua is unlike the obligatory pillars of Islam such as Salat and Sawm (fasting) which have a rigid standard of regulations, because through du'a we are able to use our very own individual styles of expression.
The Muslim supplicator raises his hands palm-up in front of him, at the level of his chest, or on his lap during this type of prayer, but this is not a requirement.

Du'a (supplication) is our own personal means of communication with our Creator and it is accepted in any language. An individual may pray to ask for forgiveness, prosperity, help, improvement of a situation, increase in faith, or to thank God for His bounty or answering previous prayers; A person can pray for anything that is good and halal (permitted Islamically), and he can also pray for the damnation of the enemy and the ending of the world's evils. An individual may also pray for other persons.

Duas can be individual and personal, but there are a great number of books that have pre-written duas, written and compiled by scholars, and these relate duas presented by Prophets (PBUT). The Quran itself has a number of duas within its pages, one such dua is this one where Prophet Abraham (PBUH) says:

The last line from that dua is sometimes said in a popular Qunoot dua, which is a special type of dua that is said in regular Salat prayers. A future article will be written about this to further elaborate.

Another dua from the Quran that we can use personally when we make dua is this:

لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللّهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا أَنتَ مَوْلاَنَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ
[Quran 2.286] ...Our Lord! do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake; Our Lord! do not lay on us a burden as Thou didst lay on those before us, Our Lord do not impose upon us that which we have not the strength to bear; and pardon us and grant us protection and have mercy on us, Thou art our Patron, so help us against the unbelieving people.

Other duas can be found in special books and collections like Sahifah Sajadiyah, and some of these duas are formulated to help certain situations like seeking pregnancy, stopping nightmares and many other things. There is a formulated dua for every day of the week and almost every situation, and these are good to recite, and very beneficial.
Importance of du'a

We have all undoubtedly been through some testing moments in our lives, and in such situations may have turned to close family and friends for help. Although they can provide us with valuable reassurance and comfort, they probably can do very little in helping to resolve the problem. Therefore it is necessary to confide in He who is the All-Listening and Most Wise, since it is only Allah (SWT) who has the power to really make a difference. Verily Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Quran,

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُواْ لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُواْ بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ
[Quran 2.186] And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way.

However, it is important that we do not get into the habit of making du'a as a last resort and only after all else has failed. Surely if we remember Allah (SWT) at times of well-being, then He will remember us at times of difficulty. Therefore supplication should be a regular part of our lives, especially since it strengthens our relationship with Allah (SWT).
The severity of neglecting du'a

The consequence of not making du'a is explicitly summarized in a single ayah (verse) of the Holy Quran:

Recommended etiquettes of du'a
As with all actions it is commendable that we start with the phrase 'Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem' (In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful), it is also recommended that we refer to our Creator and His glory through mentioning His names and attributes. Next, it is beneficial to invoke blessings on the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

It is also strongly advised that before praying for ourselves we pray for others first, especially for those who have died. This is because when a person's life draws to a close, the opportunity for repentance and doing good ceases, and the deceased is held at a transitional phase which lies between death and the day of judgment - this is the state of Barzakh (more about this later ). During this very vulnerable time the person is subject to a lot of questioning and punishment, therefore it is the supplication of the living for the dead that can help them at this most crucial point. In remembering the dead in our prayers we can only hope that when the time comes for our own souls to return to their Maker, there will be Muslims praying for us throughout this duration of difficulty. In addition to this, mentioning our Muslim brothers and sisters in du'a not only teaches us to be more compassionate, but it also means that the du'a is more likely to be accepted.

There are a couple of prerequisites for du'a to be accepted, with some being more serious than others. One important thing to keep in mind is the 'give and take' aspect of du'a - why should Allah give us anything we ask for if we do not do what He asks of us - we don't give anything back for what He has given us. Why would Allah grant a poor excuse for a believer what he covets, when this bad Muslim only angers God by sinning continuously and not even doing the simple obligatory deeds of worship, the minimum at least?

God has an agreement with the people that He will grant them what they wish if they fulfill the requirements of the covenant, but yet people continue to sin and they ask: Why are my prayers not answered? People should ask: Do I really deserve it?

Some things that are required for prayers to be accepted:

Stop Sinning - Sins come in three grades: Greater sins, great sins, and minor sins. A single greater sin can make your dua count for nothing for a considerable time, sometimes (but rarely) permanently. After doing such a sin the person must truly repent for ever, just hoping that God may shed His mercy upon them, even though He could deny them His mercy for they are not worthy. A great sin is grave enough for dua to be denied for a good length of time, until the perpetrator asks god to forgive them a couple of times sincerely. A great number of minor sins, sins that sometimes the sinner does not realize they are doing, can add-up and rise to a certain level where God just says this person does not even deserve anything because the person does not cease their evil-doings. If someone has wronged another person then they should right that wrong before they should expect their prayers to be answered, or for them to be forgiven.

A few lines explain these concepts:

O Allah! Forgive me those sins, which tear apart modesty. O Allah! Forgive me those sins, which bring down misfortunes. O Allah! Forgive me those sins, which alter blessings. O Allah! Forgive me those sins, which hold back supplication. O Allah! Forgive me those sins, which cut down hopes. O Allah! Forgive me those sins, which bring down distress. O Allah! Forgive me every sin that I have committed, and every mistake that I have made. ... O my Master! I ask You by Your might, not to let my ugly deeds and acts conceal my supplication from You, not to disgrace me by exposing what is secret of my (acts), which (only) You are aware of, ... My God and my Protector! You have laid on me rules (to follow), but I followed my own whims. ... I come to You, My God, after my shortcoming, ... I do not find any way out from what I have done, nor any place of refuge to turn to about my affairs, other than Your acceptance of my apology, and Your entering me into the range of Your mercy. O Allah! Therefore, accept my apology, have mercy upon the severity of my affliction, and free me from the tightness of my chains.

Good fortune.

1. Wealth: If a Muslim becomes the owner of vast wealth, he should show his gratitude to Allah by paying Zakat duly.

2. Health: If a Muslim is physically healthy, he should show his gratitude and obedience by performing the pilgrimage (Hajj), provided that he is financially capable

3. Sudden solution: If a Muslim finds that a big problem in his life has been solved, he should show gratitude immediately to Allah by performing a Sijdah. And later, he should perform extra prayers.

Misfortune

Well, you can come up with examples yourself.

The main thing is that Muslims should do his work and for the results depend on Allah. If he is going through hard times, he should still stick to praying to Him and abiding by His orders to show His trust in Him.

If a person close to him dies, instead of asking Allah questions, he should accept the tragedy and understand that what has happened is Allah's decision. This shows trust in Allah's decisions

I have always felt that it is really not the death of the one that dies, but the one that lives on. The dearly departed are released from the toil of this life for a serenity that we cannot imagine. In published data about NDEs or near death experiences in which people have had cardiac arrests but were resuscitated, the next world is reported to be one of incredible peace and pleasure. The refrain in all these NDE reports is that the subject did not want to return to this world but was told that their time had not yet come so they had to. What gives credibility to these reports is the amazing concordance in all of them describing a tunnel with a light at the end of it, seeing predeceased relatives and experiencing an enveloping tranquillity.

The suffering of the survivors is usually intense and seemingly endless. The multifarious struggles: financial, logistic, emotional and spiritual. And the invariable "why me" question, for which no answers come then.

"Do they not then earnestly seek to understand the Qur'aan or are their hearts locked up?" (Surah Muhammad 47:24) is only one of the many verses in the Qur'aan that exhort us to think and reflect on nature and events. "Not a leaf falls without His knowledge," (Surah An'am 6:59) and other verses like: "No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but is inscribed in the Book of Decrees (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz), before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah," (Surah Al-Hadid 57:22) are evidence against events happening randomly or due to tectonic shifts or weather related phenomena.

A Muslim's belief is complete only after his acknowledgment of God, all the prophets, the angels, the books, the Day of Judgment and "qadaa wa qadar" or fate and predestination. Belief in fate and predestination does not in any way release us from responsibility of our actions. The fact that God has full knowledge of all that will be does not reduce us to a robot-like state. Shaykh Fadlallah Haeri explains well in his book "Decree and Destiny" that there was the advent of the Jabbariyya who believed that all was determined by God and Man was powerless, and the Qaddarriya who believed that nothing was predetermined and man was able to control his destiny. Shaykh Haeri states that the reality actually lies somewhere between those two extremes.

"And know that your possessions and your progeny are but a trial, and it is with Allah that lies your highest reward" (Surah Anfaal, 8:28). This verse speaks of how man will be tested and the Qur'aan speaks also of punishment in this world as well as the next. I spent many years trying to figure out how one could tell whether an unfortunate incident was a test or a punishment. At the inception with the moral compass given to us at the time of the Primordial Oath, we are able to distinguish right from wrong and thus tell whether our record has been good, bad or ugly.

In less clear situations, it was Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani's book "Futuhul Ghayb" or Revelations of the Unseen that gave me my answer. He says that it is a punishment if the person complains all the time and is bitter, a test if the person tolerates it with patience and for spiritual elevation if the misfortune is borne with cheerfulness.

On August 19, 1999 a powerful earthquake killed 6000 people in Turkey. The day prior to it the Turkish government had passed a law that would jail any person caught teaching their children the Qur'aan within their home. True to the refrain in the Qur'aan, the revelation in the Qur'aan is only for those who reflect. In the town of Golcuk buildings that were constructed recently were destroyed but a mosque and its minaret built a century earlier stand unscathed. The building next to it is also standing for had it fallen it would have likely damaged the mosque. It is easy to give bland scientific explanations for natural disasters. And yet if one was to reflect and realise that there is nothing that occurs without a reason, a whole lot could be learned from life and events. And we would be a step closer to our Maker, knowing whom, or gnosis, should be our raison d'etre.

In tsunami, the province of Aceh in Indonesia was essentially wiped out. And yet in many affected areas in Indonesia dozens of mosques stand untouched amidst the rubble around them. Secular interpretations say that mosques were better constructed and so escaped damage. However, according to an article by a non-Muslim journalist, in the town of Sigli a mosque made of wood stands whilst surrounding structures have been destroyed.

Whilst rebellious incidents such as the legislation in Turkey just prior to the earthquake have not been reported from Indonesia, it seems to be a matter of whether or not one is able to appreciate the concept of cause and effect that is mentioned in the Qur'aan. Our bad deeds as cause and ravaging disasters as effect, with the House of God bearing silent sombre testimony to His ire. On the happier side a great test for the survivors who lost entire families with an unscathed mosque as though saying that He tests us with our money and our children and those that bear with patience and fortitude earn a great station of closeness with Him and lasting bliss in the Hereafter.

Allah menitions in the Quran that when an evil befalls us it is due to what our own hands have earned. Also our beloved Messenger, Muhammad (sallalahu 'alayhi wassallam) said in a hadith that the most tried are the Prophets, then those in piety after those. So therefore in our day to daylife when things go wrong in our lives how do we decide whether it is due to our sinfulness or that Allah loves us . and therefore sends a trial upon us
Jazakallahu khairun

Wednesday, 23 December 2009

Focus on the meaning of it.. that helps the most! for example when you are reading surah Fatiha.. read it remembering the meaning of each verse in your heart.. and mean it as a dua..
You concentrate with the thought that you are standing before the Almighty and he is listning to you and infront of you- make It out like It may be the last time you are performing your salah
Keeping the translation in mind helps to have Khushooo and pausing at the end of each Ayah helps
Choose isolated area where there is no distraction.
Do Dhikr before praying.
Learn the meaning of the Surah's you are reciting
Remember you are standing before Allah, so try to be as perfect as you can.

When it comes to prayer, people are of five levels:

The first is the level of the one who wrongs himself and is negligent. He
does not do wudoo’ properly, or pray at the right time or make sure he does all the
necessary parts of prayer.

The second is one who observes the outward essentials of prayer, prays on
time and does wudoo’, but he has lost the battle against his own self and is
overwhelmed with waswaas.

The third is one who observes the outward essentials of prayer, prays on
time and does wudoo’, and also strives against his own self and against waswaas, but
he is preoccupied with his struggle against his enemy (i.e. the Shaytaan), lest he steal
from his prayer, so he is engaged in salaah and jihaad at the same time.

The fourth is one who when he stands up to pray, he fulfils all the
requirements of the prayer, and his heart is fully focused and alert lest he omit
anything, and his concern is to do the prayer properly and perfectly. His heart is deeply
immersed in his prayer and worship of his Lord.

The fifth is one who does all of that, but he takes his heart and places
it before his Lord, looking at his Lord with his heart and focusing on Him, filled with
love and adoration, as if he is actually seeing Him. That waswaas and those thoughts
diminish, and the barriers between him and his Lord are lifted. The difference between the
prayer of this person and the prayer of anyone is else is greater than the difference
between heaven and earth. When this person prays, he is preoccupied with his Lord and
content with Him.

The first type is punishable; the second is accountable; the third is
striving so he is not counted as a sinner; the fourth is rewarded and the fifth is drawn
close to his Lord, because he is one of those for whom prayer is a source of joy. Whoever
finds their joy in prayer in this life, will find their joy in being close to Allaah in
the Hereafter, and will also find his joy in Allaah in this world. Whoever finds his joy
in Allaah will be content with everything, and whoever does not find his joy in Allaah,
will be destroyed by his feelings of grief and regret for worldly matters.”

Salah is the first thing for which we will be held accountable in front of Allah (as those who die Muslim and even have a chance to enter Jannah) - it is the source of strength for a Muslim and, when one thinks about it deeply, by far the most significant event that takes part in our daily lives. It is the time when we stand in front of Allah swt, our creator, bowed in humility (or so we should be!) asking for his help in whatever it is we engage in, whether they be things to do with the dunya, our da'wah efforts or those things which are to do directly with the incorporeal itself (deep introspection etc).

Thus, to get our salah right, and to exert every effort in its improvement, is a must upon us all. None of us should be comfortable with our level of concentration in salah, even if it is better than others'. The striving to perfect one's salah is constant and perpetual, for perfection is near unattainable in this regard by us mere mortals if even the Rasool (SAW), the Companions (RA) ) would shed tears of concern and worry over their level of concentration in prayer and whether Allah would accept them! What that does motivate us to do, though, is to strive and strive constantly, and have the confidence that Allah swt will accept our efforts.

Yet salah cannot, and must not be thought of as an isolated act of worship; if, as it is said, the believer's day revolves around Salah, then should not the khushu' that he can/should gain (or try to gain) translate into all his activites and affairs? Should not this khushu' also be an aspect of everything else he does? The answer is a foregone conclusion!

Salah and dua are the believer's ultimate weapon. But they must be connected to our mission in today's day and age. We must use the spiritual upliftment and closeness to Allah swt we gain from salah to redouble our efforts, and exert them with greater focus, in all other facets of our deen. To those that engage in dawah activities and campaigns for all manner of organisations and efforts, salah is the tool to draw closer to Allah, so that he rewards his slave, listens to his supplications, and lets him see the fruits of this relationship in practical results in terms of his effort.

Abu Huraira (Radiallahu anhu) said: The Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) said, "Let anyone tell me; if a stream flows by the house of any person and he baths in it five times a day, whether any dirt will remain on his body." The companions replied that no dirt would remain in such a case. He said, "So is the case with prescribed prayers. Allah forgives men's sins (minor) on their account."Hadiths on the virtues of Salah related by both Bukhari and Muslim:

Rabee'ah narrates:

It was the habit of the Prophet, peace be on him, that if someone did him a good turn, he loved to repay that person with something more excellent. He wanted to do something for me too in return for my service to him. So one day he came up tome and said: 'O Rabee'ah ibn Ka'b.' 'Labbayk ya rasulullah wa Sadaik - At your command, O Messenger of God and may God grant you happiness,' I responded. 'Ask of me anything and I will give it to you.' ..

I thought a little and then said: 'Give me some time, O Messenger of God, to think about what I should ask of you. Then I will let you know.' He agreed.

At that time, I was a young man and poor. I had neither family, nor wealth, nor place of abode. I used to shelter in the Suffah of the mosque with other poor Muslims like myself. People used to call us the "guests of Islam". Whenever any Muslim brought so mething in charity to the Prophet, he would send it all to us. And if someone gave him a gift he would take some of it and leave the rest for us.

So, it occurred to me to ask the Prophet for some worldly good that would save me from poverty and make me like others who had wealth, wife and children. Soon, however, I said: 'May you perish Rabee'ah. The world is temporary and will pass away. You have your share of sustenance in it which God has guaranteed and which must come to you. The Prophet, peace be on him, has a place with his Lord and no request would be refused him. Request him therefore, to ask Allah to grant you something of the bounty of the hereafter.'

I felt pleased and satisfied with this thought. I went to the Prophet and he asked: 'What do you say, O Rabee'ah?' 'O Messenger of God,' I said, 'I ask you to beseech God most High on my behalf to make me your companion in Paradise.'

'Who has advised you thus?' asked the Prophet.

'No by God,' I said, 'No one has advise me. But when you told me 'Ask of me anything and I will give to you,' I thought of asking you for something of the goodness of this world. But before long, I was guided to choose what is permanent and lasting agains t what is temporary and perishable. And so I have asked you to beseech God on my behalf that I may be your companion in Paradise.'

The Prophet remained silent for a long while and then asked: 'Any other request besides that, Rabi'ah?' 'No, O Messenger of God, Nothing can match what I have asked you.' 'Then, in that case, assist me for your sake by performing much prostration to God.'

So I began to exert myself in worship in order to attain the good fortune of being with the Prophet in Paradise just as I had the good fortune of being in his service and being his companion in this world.

Salah is the method to strengthen ones conviction and adherence to Allah’s (swt) commandments and abstain from His prohibitions.

“Surely, the salah prevents evil speech and bad deeds…” [Quran 29:45]

Salah is a unique act of worship that prevents the believers from anything that deserves the anger of Allah (swt). It is the ultimate medium for change for it includes all aspects of ibadah:

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. Allah is the Light. Allah is the Light. Allah is the Light.

35 Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as a shining star. Kindled from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow forth though no fire touched it. Light upon light, Allah guides to His light whom He will. And Allah speaks to mankind in allegories, for Allah is knower of all things.

[Quran: An Noor, Chapter 24]

Light is not light without the darkness. The visible is not visible without the invisible. Manifest is not manifest without the hidden. Good is not good without the evil. Heaven is not heaven without the earth. East is not east without the west.
The point we are making here is that everything has an opposite. If there were no opposites, there would be nothing but Allah. Neither you nor I would be here! Allah has created everything in pairs.

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. In both the heavens and earth the Light is from Allah. Everything in heavens and earth is lit with the Light of Allah. With that light, everything has become manifest. What is this Light?
The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. What is a lamp? A lamp is a vessel containing oil. A lamp has a wick that is lit to burn that oil contained within it. A lamp supplies light.

The lamp is in a glass. Glass is a fragile material. Glass is translucent. Glass is transparent. We can see through glass! That is glass does not get in the way of the vision. We ignore the presence of glass when we look through a window. Therefore we can see the lamp through the glass.

The glass is as a shining star. In this verse we are told that the glass is like a shining star. The glass surrounding the lamp usually shines when the lamp is lit. Here the opposite to the last paragraph is also true. Just as vision can see through the glass unhindered, likewise the light can shine through the glass unhindered.

Kindled from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the east nor of the west. A tree takes years to grow. It begins from a seed. It grows into a plant. Then it becomes a strong tree. Then the tree produces fruit. In this example the fruit is the olive. But this tree is neither of the east or west. If we observe a tree, it is planted in a particular place. It does not move. But this particular tree is neither of the east nor of the west. Therefore this tree is either a heavenly tree or it moves!

Whose oil would almost glow forth though no fire touched it. The oil in the lamp is lit. Yet fire has not touched it. It generates light. Light upon light, Allah guides to His light whom He will. And Allah speaks to mankind in allegories, for Allah is knower of all things.

A man of knowledge once said "The heavens and earth cannot contain Allah, and yet Allah lives in the heart of a true believer." Now if we look at the entire verse, we find that the Light referred to in the above verse is Knowledge. The tree neither of the east or west is the human. The heavens and earth cannot contain knowledge, yet the human being can contain knowledge of heavens and earth. Where is this light referred to in the above verse? It is as a niche (a recess) where there is a lamp. The human heart is in a niche in the human body. The heart is lit from a blessed tree neither of the east or west. The red Indians call the trees the standing people. The human being is not rooted in one place. The heart pumps without being lit and no batteries are required!

The heart is the place of unravelling of the mysteries, if the Light of Allah shines in there. The heart is the place of Zikr Allah, if the of Light of Allah shines in there. And as Mawlana Abul Noor Muhammad Bashir so beautifully wrote: "In this day and age we keep hearing of people having heart attacks. If there is no Zikr Allah in a heart, what do you expect? It is bound to stop!"
The heart or the lamp needs fuel. The fuel or oil is the Zikr Allah. With Zikr Allah, the lamp is lit without being touched by fire. The human body becomes a blessed tree neither of the east nor of the west. Light upon light, is achieved by that tree in the form of knowledge upon knowledge. Every branch of knowledge is based on certain principles or foundation. And the knowledge is built on that principle or foundation. Our foundation is Islam and the knowledge is the Quran and Sunnah of Muhammad . Allah guides to His light whom He will. Finally a reference from the Quran:

1 Alif Lam Ra. A Book which We have revealed to you in order that you may lead mankind out of the depths of darkness into light by the leave of their Rabb (Lord) to the way of (Him) Exalted in Power Worthy of all Praise!

[Quran: Ibraheem, Chapter 14]

If we look at the opening of the above verse we find we have Alif Laam Ra . What is missing from that? It is the letters Noon and Waw to make the Name An Noor. How? Because we are told further in the above reference …that you may lead mankind out of the depths of darkness into Light by the leave of their Rabb…
Light or En-lighten-ment only comes if we leave alone the hatred. It is only through love and kindness that we can attain enlightenment. But after that we need the leave or permission of our Rabb to be truly enlightened. May Allah enlighten all the Muslims. Ameen.
AN NOOR - THE LIGHT

The person who keeps reciting Ya Noor 1111 times everyday, that person's heart will light up with the Light of Allah, Insha Allah.

Remember to recite any Darood of your choice 11 times before and after the above Zikr and send the Hadiya (reward) for the Darood to Allah's Rasool, our Master, Sayyidina Muhammad.

Darood (Blessings) and Salaam (Peace) on Muhammad, His Family, and His Companions Sounds like a cool word. Zikr, looks pretty neat in Arabic script.

Zikr, "All words of praise and glory to Allah, extolling His Perfect Attributes of Power and Majesty, Beauty and Sublimeness, whether one utters them by tongue or says them silently in one's heart, are known as Zikr or remembrance of Allah."

Allah is so great, every time I see the glittering stars in the sky, resembling diamonds and pearls, I call to mind the greatness of Allah. Every time I see the various creatures Allah has created I reflect upon the greatness of Allah, the rainbow-colored parrots in the Amazon Forest, the birds how they soar so high in the sky only by the will of Allah.

BISMILLAH HIR RAHMAN NIR RAHEEM

(In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful)

All praise is for Allah. Darood (Blessings) and Salaam (Peace) on Muhammad, his Family, and his Companions.

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. Allah is the Light. Allah is the Light. Allah is the Light.

35 Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as a shining star. Kindled from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the east nor of the west,
whose oil would almost glow forth though no fire touched it. Light upon light, Allah guides to His light whom He will. And Allah speaks to mankind in allegories, for Allah is knower of all things.

[Quran: An Noor, Chapter 24]

Light is not light without the darkness. The visible is not visible without the invisible. Manifest is not manifest without the hidden. Good is not good without the evil. Heaven is not heaven without the earth. East is not east without the west.
The point we are making here is that everything has an opposite. If there were no opposites, there would be nothing but Allah. Neither you nor I would be here! Allah has created everything in pairs.

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. In both the heavens and earth the Light is from Allah. Everything in heavens and earth is lit with the Light of Allah. With that light, everything has become manifest. What is this Light?
The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. What is a lamp? A lamp is a vessel containing oil. A lamp has a wick that is lit to burn that oil contained within it. A lamp supplies light.

The lamp is in a glass. Glass is a fragile material. Glass is translucent. Glass is transparent. We can see through glass! That is glass does not get in the way of the vision. We ignore the presence of glass when we look through a window. Therefore we can see the lamp through the glass.

The glass is as a shining star. In this verse we are told that the glass is like a shining star. The glass surrounding the lamp usually shines when the lamp is lit. Here the opposite to the last paragraph is also true. Just as vision can see through the glass unhindered, likewise the light can shine through the glass unhindered.

Kindled from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the east nor of the west. A tree takes years to grow. It begins from a seed. It grows into a plant. Then it becomes a strong tree. Then the tree produces fruit. In this example the fruit is the olive. But this tree is neither of the east or west. If we observe a tree, it is planted in a particular place. It does not move. But this particular tree is neither of the east nor of the west. Therefore this tree is either a heavenly tree or it moves!

Whose oil would almost glow forth though no fire touched it. The oil in the lamp is lit. Yet fire has not touched it. It generates light. Light upon light, Allah guides to His light whom He will. And Allah speaks to mankind in allegories, for Allah is knower of all things.

A man of knowledge once said "The heavens and earth cannot contain Allah, and yet Allah lives in the heart of a true believer." Now if we look at the entire verse, we find that the Light referred to in the above verse is Knowledge. The tree neither of the east or west is the human. The heavens and earth cannot contain knowledge, yet the human being can contain knowledge of heavens and earth. Where is this light referred to in the above verse? It is as a niche (a recess) where there is a lamp. The human heart is in a niche in the human body. The heart is lit from a blessed tree neither of the east or west. The red Indians call the trees the standing people. The human being is not rooted in one place. The heart pumps without being lit and no batteries are required!

The heart is the place of unravelling of the mysteries, if the Light of Allah shines in there. The heart is the place of Zikr Allah, if the of Light of Allah shines in there. "In this day and age we keep hearing of people having heart attacks. If there is no Zikr Allah in a heart, what do you expect? It is bound to stop!"
The heart or the lamp needs fuel. The fuel or oil is the Zikr Allah. With Zikr Allah, the lamp is lit without being touched by fire. The human body becomes a blessed tree neither of the east nor of the west. Light upon light, is achieved by that tree in the form of knowledge upon knowledge. Every branch of knowledge is based on certain principles or foundation. And the knowledge is built on that principle or foundation. Our foundation is Islam and the knowledge is the Quran and Sunnah of Muhammad . Allah guides to His light whom He will. Finally a reference from the Quran:

1 Alif Lam Ra. A Book which We have revealed to you in order that you may lead mankind out of the depths of darkness into light by the leave of their Rabb (Lord) to the way of (Him) Exalted in Power Worthy of all Praise!

[Quran: Ibraheem, Chapter 14]
If we look at the opening of the above verse we find we have Alif Laam Ra . What is missing from that? It is the letters Noon and Waw to make the Name An Noor. How? Because we are told further in the above reference …that you may lead mankind out of the depths of darkness into Light by the leave of their Rabb…
Light or En-lighten-ment only comes if we leave alone the hatred. It is only through love and kindness that we can attain enlightenment. But after that we need the leave or permission of our Rabb to be truly enlightened. May Allah enlighten all the Muslims. Ameen.
AN NOOR - THE LIGHT

The person who keeps reciting Ya Noor 1111 times everyday, that person's heart will light up with the Light of Allah, Insha Allah.

Remember to recite any Darood of your choice 11 times before and after the above Zikr and send the Hadiya (reward) for the Darood to Allah's Rasool, our Master, Sayyidina Muhammad. saw

Darood (Blessings) and Salaam (Peace) on Muhammad saw, His Family, and His Companions
People in all walks of life are searching for happiness, peace and tranquillity. Muslim or non-Muslim, black or white, young or old,
each and every person wants to be at peace.

"Almighty Allah says, I treat my slave (man) according to his expectations from Me, and I am with him when he remembers Me.
If he remembers Me in his heart, I remember him in My heart; if he remembers Me in a gathering, I remember him in a better and nobler gathering
(i.e. of angels). If he comes closer to Me by one span, I go towards him a cubit's length, if he comes towards Me by a cubit's length,
I go towards him an arm's length, and if he walks towards Me, I run unto him."
Wali, plural awliya, is an arabic word meaning friend. Awliya Allah, therefore, means Friends of Allah (swt).

Reference to the Friends of Allah (swt) is found in the Quran, Hadith Qudsi & Narrations of our Holy Prophet (saw).

We would, firstly, like to bring you to the attention of the following authentic hadith which has been narrated in Abu Daud that Our Holy Prophet (saw) said:

‘O people! Listen, understand and know it well. Allah has servants who are neither Prophets nor martyrs and whom the Prophets and martyrs yearn to
be like, due to their seat and proximity in relation to Allah....

Our Holy Prophet (saw) then described these people and then read the following Ayah in which Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an:

"Behold! Verily on the Friends of Allah there is no fear nor shall they grieve"
Quran (Surah10: Verse 62)

Abu Huraira (r.a) also reports a Hadith Qudsi in which our Holy Prophet (saw) informs us that Allah (swt) said:

'Whosoever acts with enmity towards a Friend of Mine, I will indeed declare war against him"
[Hadith Qudsi: Bukhari]
Zikr (Remembrance Of) ALLAH

Allah's Apostle (Sal-allahu-aleihi-wassallam) said: If anyone extols Allah (Subhan Allah) after every prayer thirty-three times, and praises Allah (Al Hamd-u-Lillah) thirty-three times, and declares His Greatness (Ahhah-u-Akbar) thirty-three times, ninety-nine times in all, and say to complete a hundred: "There is no god but Allah, having no partner with Him, to Him belongs sovereignty and to Him to praise due, and He is Potent over everything," his sins will be forgiven even if these are as abundant as the foam of the sea.

Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever says: 'La ilaha illal-lah wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahu-l-mulk wa lahu-l-hamd wa huwa 'ala kulli shai'in qadir,' one hundred times will get the same reward as given for manumitting ten slaves; and one hundred good deeds will be written in his accounts, and one hundred sins will be deducted from his accounts, and it (his saying) will be a shield for him from Satan on that day till night, and nobody will be able to do a better deed except the one who does more than he."

Allah's Messenger (Sal-allahu-aleihi-wassallam) said that if any Muslim said three times evening and morning, "I am pleased with Allah as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad as Prophet," Allah would certainly please him on the Day of Resurrection.

Narrated by Thawban (Razi Allah Ta'lah Anhu); Tirmidhi and Ahmad transmitted it. Hadith No. 2399 of Mishkat al-Masabih.
Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever says, 'Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi,' one hundred times a day, will be forgiven all his sins even if they were as much as the foam of the sea."

Narrated by Abu Hurairah (Razi Allah Ta'lah Anhu); Sahih Bukhari transmitted it. Vol 8:#414 of Sahih Bukhari.
The people said, "O Allah's Apostle! The rich people have got the highest degrees of prestige and the permanent pleasures (in this life and the life to come in the Hereafter)." He said, "How is that?" They said, "The rich pray as we pray, and strive in Allah's Cause as we do, and spend from their surplus wealth in charity, while we have no wealth (to spend likewise)." He said, "Shall I not tell you a thing, by doing which, you will catch up with those who are ahead of you and supersede those who will come after you; and nobody will be able to do such a good deed as you do except the one who does the same (deed as you do). That deed is to recite 'Subhan Allah ten times, and 'Al-Hamdulillah ten times, and 'Allahu Akbar' ten times after every prayer."

Narrated by Abu Hurairah (Razi Allah Ta'lah Anhu); Sahih Bukhari transmitted it. Vol 8:#341 of Sahih Bukhari.
We can therefore clearly conclude that the Friends of Allah (swt) are envied by, but are neither, Prophets or martyrs, who have no fear or grief and
are loved & protected by Allah (swt).

The greatest Virtue is to join the Creation with the Creator
To think about the well being of the creation is an act
much liked by Allah Almighty. But the greatest single deed
liked by Allah Almighty is to join His creation with the
Almighty. Because of this, the prophets have exclusive
nearness to Allah Almighty. The rank of our Beloved Holy
Prophet is much exalting before Allah because he acts
as a bridge between the Creator and the creation.

It should be remembered that performing virtuous
deeds doesn't mean remembering Allah while standing on
one leg throughout the night. Instead every single act of a
Muslim is a virtue provided it is performed according to
Sunnah of the Holy Prophet whether it be taking a meal.

Savouring Repentance
Every human being should always be mindful of his
faults and weaknesses. This will develop in him a sense
of loss and guilt which takes him near to Allah.The holy
saints of Allah advise their devotees to take some time
out of the day or night and remember sins, so that they could relish the taste of repentance in their heart. There
is a great pleasure in repenting with grievous cry. That's why many a men of Allah would always ask Allah for
repentance of their sins.
to take some time out of the day or night and remember sins, so that they could relish the taste of repentance in their heart. There
is a great pleasure in repenting with grievous cry. That's why many a men of Allah would always ask Allah for repentance of their sins.

Zikr and the kind of red light
you see during Muraqaba. This is the Noor of Latifa-e-
Qlb.The Noor of Latifa-e-Rouh is of golden colour while
that of Latifa-e-Sihr is white. Latifa-e-Khafi has Noor of
black colour and Latifa-e-Akhfah has green colour The
Noor of white colour that you saw was of Latifa Sihr,
although you have not been given its permission. These
are the boons of Allah Almighty and His Beloved
Prophet's kind attention. It's the same as a child of first
class, who reads his book of first class well, starts
reading books of second and third classes, although he is
not in that class.Five Lataif and their Place
. I may add here that there are five Lataif in the chest
of human being. They have no connection with our outer
world. These are the secretes of Allah and do not get
annihilated. They get free with Zikr Allah and reach
everywhere in personified form. Their names are Qalb,
Rouah, Sir, Khafi and Akhfa. Sometime Zakir of Allah
sees them with his own eyes, but at other, he does not
see them instead others see them. But I would like to
say, this is not the real end and purpose, the object is
Allah Almighty and His Beloved Holy Prophet These are
the rewards of the way which help increasing the quest of
a Salik. It is like giving a gift to a child on getting first
position in the class. He should not get lost in playing
with it, instead he should look forward to the goal ahead.

Zakir (the one who do Zikr) are the Wisest Men
I received your letters that were full of love. The
moment this humble person read them, there arose a
storm of love that vented in the form of tears in the eyes.
The heart reflected that if love for the sake of Allah was
so sweet and delightful, then what charm and delight
would be in the Person of Allah Almighty Himself. That's
why when men and women of Paradise enter this Eternal
Abode, they will start destroying it. The angels of Allah
will ask them why they are despoiling the Abode of Peace
that Allah Almighty grants to those whom He is pleased
with. They will say, ' we did not do Zikr Allah for Paradise,
we want to see our Beloved Lord with our own eyes. We
can't wait any more.' For the sake of these Zakireen
(plural of Zakir, means those who do Zikr or remember
Allah), Allah Almighty will let people have His sight. After
this, Allah Almighty will ask, ' O My people! How long
have you had My sight?' The people will reply that they
had a few moments of it, and their eyes are still thirsty.
Allah Almighty will tell them that they had vision of Him for
seventy thousand years. Let my life be sacrificed on this
Holy Being whose vision has such charm that lets the
visionary forget his own self. So, those people who are
lost in the remembrance of Allah and His Holy Prophet
are the wisest men.They are standing at their door-step
having this desire in the heart:
"The Friend let Moses have His vision on the Tur;
This made Moses forget his own self, Every hardship
seems to be easy, The moment He made us, of His Own".

How to Recognize Men of Allah…

Maulana Rume says, out of the creation of
Allah, believers are of three kinds:
1- Men
2- Women
3- Hermaphrodites.
He says that the later are those who covet Paradise.
They offer prayers, observe fast and give charity, so that
Allah Almighty may let them enter His Eternal Bliss
(Paradise). Second are those believers who offer their
prayers due to fear of Hell.They do good deeds and avoid
sins and disobedience to save themselves from the Hell
Fire. These are like women. And third are those men,
who neither ask for Paradise nor fear Hell.Their life and
death, offering prayers, remembering Allah, awakening
and sleeping at night and serving the creation of Allah is
only to find the Creator Himself.In fact, these are the real
men.
The Source of Knowledge of the Companions of the
Holy Prophet

Countless Darud-o-Salam on our beloved Holy
Prophet who has been sent as a teacher. Whosoever got
knowledge from him, moved in the light of this Ilm
(knowledge) and found his destination. Because of the
same reason, knowledge and men of knowledge have
been given much higher ranks. It the same Ilm due to
which humans find nearness to Allah.The Ilm that is not
an instrument to achieve love and Marafat of Allah is
useless. There are two sources of Ilm: firstly, company
and secondly, the formal education. The source of
knowledge of the companions of the Holy Prophet was
the former one.It was that knowledge which turned the
companions of the Holy Prophet into shinning stars; and
thousands and thousands of people found guidance from
them. The pure souls whom Allah Almighty purifies of
their inner and outer impurities, their company affords a
sustained following of Shariah and spiritual communion
with Allah Almighty.When he follows the Shariah for some
time, Allah Almighty makes him aware of his inner faults
and he tries to get rid of them. Then Allah Almighty sets
him on the path of inner purification. I humbly pray to
Allah that He may bless us with such knowledge that is a
source of Allah's Marafat.

Take some time out of the day or night and remember sins, so that they could relish the taste of repentance in their heart. There
is a great pleasure in repenting with grievous cry. That's
why many a men of Allah would always ask Allah for repentance of their sins.

Who knows, maybe one day, InshAllah, you too will have a desire to strive and become a Friend of Allah (swt)

Monday, 14 December 2009

Bismi Allahir Rahmanir Raheem. All praise is for Allah, the Most High, the Lord of the Worlds. Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon all the Prophets of Allah, especially our Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wa aalihi wa as-haabihi wa sallam).

Muslims realize that Islam is more than a religion, it is a way of life. The demands, expectations, and benefits of being Muslim stem greatly from our ability to worship Allah and remember Him constantly. The aspect of Zikr, the remembrance of Allah, is part of "what sets apart the living from the dead" (Bukhari).

This world, the Dunya, will take a person away from Allah, who busies himself in the worldly businesses and who does not remember Allah in any time. Allah says:

"He who turns away from the remembrance of Rahman (Allah, the Compassionate) ,
We assign a Satan (Shaytan) for him, who becomes his intimate companion - and
turns such people away from the Right Path, while they think that they are guided aright."
[az-Zukhruf - 43:36-37]

We have reached to a point where even our Salah (prayer) is empty of Allah's remembrance. Allah said: "... worship Me and establish Salah for My remembrance." [Ta-ha, 20:14]. But unfortunately our Salah (prayer) is filled with the thoughts of this world rather than the Remembrance of Rahman.

If the worldly businesses take us away from Dhikr Allah ( Allah's Remembrance) , we will forget Him. And the one who has forgotten Allah, Allah will also forget him and He might not listen to his supplications (Du'a). So, what could be a cause of the unacceptance of our Du'a? Our hearts are preoccupied with Dunya rather than His Remembrance. Allah will say to those who forget Allah and do not prepare for the Akhirah: "Now taste the reward for your forgetting the meeting of this Day - We too have forgotten you now..." [32:14]. Therefore,

"O believers! Let neither your riches nor your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah.
Those who will do so, it is they who shall be the real losers."
[al-Munafiqoon - 63:9]

Allah mentions in the Quran about those true Muslims who prefer the hereafter over this Dunya. These people make Dhikr, perform Salah and observe other duties; and their worldly businesses do not affect their worship. Qur'an says:

"In houses, which Allah has ordered to be raised,
in them His Name is glorified in the mornings and
in the afternoons or the evenings,
(By) men whom neither trade nor sale diverts them
from the Remembrance of Allah (thikri Allahi),
nor from performing As-Salat (prayer),
nor from giving the Zakat.
They fear a Day (the Day of Judgement)
when hearts and eyes will be overturned."
[An-Noor - 24:36-37]

If we remember Allah, Allah will also remember us (listen to us). Allah says: "Therefore, remember Me, and, I will remember you, be grateful to Me and never deny Me." [al-Baqarah, 2:152]. Allah's remembrance (Dhikr Allah) should be observed in the Masajid and also when we are outside the Masajid. In fact, Allah's remembrance should be in the hearts of the believers at all times. And His glorification should be on our tongues at all times as well. Allah says:

"O you who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance,
and glorify Him morning and evening."
[al-Ahzaab, 33:41-42]

"And remember your Lord within yourself (deep in your soul, fee nafsika),
humbly and with fear without loudness in words
in the mornings, and in the afternoons and
be not of those who are neglectful.
[al-A'araaf - 7:205]

Who has created the sun, the moon, the heavens and this earth! It is Allah, therefore, Subhan Allah! Who has guided us to Islam, provided us with sustenance (food, drink, clothes etc)! It is Allah, therefore, Alhamdu-lillah! Who is the Most Powerful, the Majestic, Maliki Yawmi-Deen! Allahu Akbar! Who forgives the mistakes and the sins? It is Allah, we say Astaghfirullah. Therefore, a Muslim can remember his Rabb at all the times; while in the Masajid and while in the midst of this world. Rahman says:

"Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day,
- there are indeed Signs for men of understanding,
- Men who celebrate the praises of Allah,
standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides,
and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth,
(with the thought): "Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You!
Give us salvation from the Chastisement of the Fire."
[Aal-e-Imran - 3:190-191]

Once we start to praise Allah with our hearts, then shall we be able to feel the sweetness of Rahman's Dikhr. For example, many of us pray Salah without knowing the meanings of what we say, and many of us know the meanings but we do not concentrate on what we say. We should pray with the certainty that we are standing in front of Rabbul 'Aalameen, standing with sincerity and devotion, with fear and hope of His Mercy. When we say anything in As-Salah, we should express that it is said directly to Him (Allah). We say:

"A servant of Allah said 'My Lord! All praise is for You as much as Your Glory and Sublime Majesty rightly deserve. ' This was too much for the two angels to record. They did not know how to record it. So they soared to the heaven and said, 'Our Lord! Your servant has said something which we don't know how to record?' Allah asked them--and, of course, He knew what the servant had said--'What did My servant say?' They said, 'He has said, "My Lord! All praise is for You as much as Your Glory and Sublime Majesty rightly deserve." Allah said to them, ' Write it down as My servant has said until he should meet Me and I reward him for it'.' (Reported by Ahmad and Ibn Majah)

May Allah forgive us and accept our good deeds. May Allah guide us to the best ways in which we should Praise Him, Glorify Him. May Allah keep our hearts attached to Him. Once our hearts are filled with the Dhikr of Rahman, insha'Allah, we will have no interest of whatsoever in this Dunya. The light of Allah's Dhikr fills up the heart and the heart becomes satisfied with what it needs. Allah says "Beware! It is the remembrance of Allah which provides tranquility to the hearts!" [ala bithikri Allahi tatmainnu alquloobu!] (13:28). Anything other than His Remembrance or this Dunya will not satisfy our hearts!

"Therefore, remember Me, and, I will remember you, be grateful to Me and never deny Me." [al-Baqarah, 2:152]

Allah's Messenger (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said:
Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, thus stated: I am near to the thought of My servant as he thinks about Me, and I am with him as he remembers Me. And if he remembers Me in his heart, I also remember him in My Heart, and if he remembers Me in assembly I remember him in assembly, better than his (remembrance) , and if he draws near Me by the span of a palm, I draw near him by the cubit, and if he draws near Me by the cubit I draw near him by the space (covered by) two hands. And if he walks towards Me, I rush towards him. [Sahih Muslim]

While many aspects of Zikr are specifically defined for us, such as Hajj once in our lifetime, fasting in Ramadan once a year, praying in congregation at least once a week (on Friday) and praying five times a day, the times between are not meant to be void of thoughts of Allah.
Here are some ways to incorporate and ensure Zikr in our everyday lives:

1- If you want or need or desire something, regardless of what it is, ask Allah for it first

Allah says in the Holy Quran, "Call on Me. I will answer your prayer, but those who are too arrogant to serve me will surely find themselves humiliated in Hell" (40:60). Taking the time to remember and ask Allah, serves not only as humbling experiences, but forces you to realize that Allah wants us to remember Him, to ask of Him, and put our trust in Him.

Whether it is in times of distress or in times of joy, creating a habit of sincere supplication toward Allah increases your Zikr According to Abu Huraira, "The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, reported that, whoever wants Allah to answer his prayers during difficult times, should supplicate to Him more and more in times of ease."

2. Be aware of your words

It becomes second nature for many Muslims to say "Assalam Alaikum" (Peace and blessings be upon you) when they meet a fellow Muslim, or to say Alhumdu lillah (all thanks be to Allah) without ever really thinking about what it means. While it is good to say these words, if we put our hearts into them, we will be humbling ourselves and performing Zikr at the same time.

So use words like Insha Allah (God willing), Maa shaa Allah, when you are praising something and Bismillah (in the name of God) before you begin anything. Being aware of Allah at all times will help keep you from doing something unIslamic.

Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet said, "Renew your faith." "How can we renew our faith?" they asked. The Prophet replied, "say always, 'La ilaha ill-Allah' (there is none worthy of worship except Allah).".
Jabir reported that the Prophet said, "the best remembrance of Allah is to repeat La ilaha illa Allah and the best prayer is Alhumdu lillah (all praise is due to Allah).".

3.Surround yourself with those that remember Allah

What we discuss when we are in congregation can also be Zikr. Said b. Jubair said, "anyone engaged in obeying Allah is in fact engaged in the remembrance of Allah."

Some early scholars according to Fiqh us-Sunnah said, "the gatherings of Zikr are the gatherings where the lawful and the prohibited things are discussed, for instance, selling, buying, prayers, fasting, marriage, divorce, and pilgrimage."

The Prophet reportedly told ibn Umar that, "There are some angels of Allah who go about looking for such assemblies or circles of Zikr, and when they find them they surround them."

"When any group of men remember Allah, angels surround them and mercy covers them, tranquility descends upon them, and Allah mentions them to those who are with Him" (Abu Huraira and Abu Said Al Khudri).

Thus, surrounding yourself with other people remembering Allah contributes and heightens the purpose of Zikr, which is to purify ones heart and soul and to awaken the human conscience.

4. Do charity

Often times, we need to see how blessed we are, by helping those who are not as fortunate. Whether it is volunteering at a homeless shelter, teaching small children or visiting with the elderly, by taking time out of our lives to help others for the sake of Allah, we better ourselves.

The Holy Quran says, remembrance of Allah "is wider than Prayer: it includes silent contemplation, and active service of Allah and His Creatures. The regular Prayers and regular charity are the social acts performed through the organized community" (24:37).

We also need to realize the role we should play in our communities such as cleaning up a park, planting trees or helping our neighbors. By doing charity for those around us, we realize all the blessings bestowed upon us by Allah and remember Him in a more appreciative manner.

The Prophet said, "Charity is obligatory every day on every joint of a human being. If one helps a person in matters concerning his riding animal by helping him to ride it or by lifting his luggage onto it, all will be regarded as charity. A good word, and every step one takes to offer compulsory congregational prayer, is regarded as charity; and guiding somebody on the road is regarded as charity (Abu Huraira).

Keeping the importance of charity in mind and performing it for the sake of Allah, keeps Him in our thoughts and heart at all times.

Types of Zikr
There are three types of Zikr:

1. Practical
2. Verbal
3. Silent

1. Practical

Practical Zikr, also known as "Zikr-e-Faily", is performed with one's obedient actions. It comprises of obedience to:

Silent Zikr, also known as "Qalbi Zikr", "Zikr-e-Khafi" and "Daimi Zikr" is performed within one self.. There are many stages to silent zikr. The first and foremost of which is Qalbi Zikr: Remembrance of Allah (swt) from within the heart.

According to the Quran, the miraculous properties of the earth, the sky shading-over without support, the innumerable species of creatures residing within, the alternation of day and night and the unfailing, vast, miraculous universal system, all point towards the greatness of their Creator; but only for the one blessed with wisdom, “Those who constantly remember Allah, standing, sitting or reclining.” A human being will always be in one of these postures. This Divine verse implies that they are always engaged in Allah's Zikr under all conditions, at all times. Religious scholars have thus concluded that the alluded to verse doesn't refer to oral Zikr because the tongue cannot do Allah's Zikr all of the time; it has to translate many other human requirements, besides doing Zikr. Even if somebody doesn't speak a word except Allah's Zikr, his tongue will certainly remain quiet during his sleep. The only organ that can permanently perform Allah’s Zikr is the human heart and only Zikr-e Qalbi (Zikr by the heart) can fulfil the condition of constant Zikr. Once the heart learns Allah's Zikr, it never stops at any time, under any circumstances.
(Qalbi zikr is zikr of the heart it is where your heart does the zikr of Allah over and over again. To do this zikr just concentrate on you heart and with every beat imagine it is saying Al-lah, Al-lah,Al-lah. then you can do this through out the entire day and your entire life until you can hear with your own ears your heart saying Allah. Dahmi zikr is with your breath. When you breath in you say Allah and when you breath out you say hu. Once you have learned both types of zikr continue doing them for ever and the rest of you life. If you can multi task then do both. Dahmi and qalbi zikr and if you want to be more advanced in doing zikr then instead of doing both zikrs with just saying Allah you can change dahmi zikr to la illaha when you breath in and illah Allah when you breath out whilst your qalb is continuously saying Allah. Note: when you recite the zikr it should be in your head only not out loud. Soon you will naturally with your own ears hear your heart with every beat and your breath with every breath you take it will be doing the zikr of the name of Allah without you having to think about it.)

If we look into the Quran we will find that the word “ Zikr ” occurs 268 times in the Quran and has 63 derivatives used in the Book, the Quran. This word “ Zikr ” has many connotations in Islam. Its almost opposite is “ Nissiyane ” (forgetting). This verb occurs 45 times in the Quran; and 28 of its derivatives have also been mentioned in the sacred Book.

The root of Zikr is Za-Kaf-Ra . Some of its meanings are:

Az-Zikro Wattazk'aro : It means to preserve something, to keep alive in mind; this word is used opposite to NASYUN , which means to forget (6:68)

At tazkerato : It means

To remind something which is needed

The Quran has also been called As-Zikro because it contains the history and Causes or Laws for the rise and fall of nations

Zikrun also means to remain steadfast in the battlefield and thus ensures the supremacy of Divine Laws. The Divine Laws are also called Zikrullah (39:23). It has also been used in the context of dignity, honour, respect, fame and saying something good (43:44)

1.To remain steadfast in the battle field
2. Ponder over the secrets of nature
3.Take lesson from the previous history of nations
4.Keep in view the Divine Laws and take decisions accordingly
5.Propagate or give publicity to the Divine Laws
6.These are the steps which install peace of mind (13:28) and not the rotation of beads or retreating to the caves or hujras

Keep these meanings in view, study the Quran and grasp the places where this word has been used. You will understand the real perspective and get the action verbs commanding you to do the things practically.

Who says islam is demanding.Its so easy to folow. You can do zikr all the time, just saying assalamualaykum is a zikr..wow. helping someone is a charity.its so easy . we can do it without any effort and one day it will become a way of our life without our knowing it. and then allah will start bestowing us with his mercy and he will show us the straight path. all we need to do is start doing zikr and small charities. make it a way of our lives. and inshallan all pieces will start falling into place automatically. all you need is an intention...that will be your deciding factor, that always is.